Who do Australian general practitioners refer to physiotherapy?

Area of Science:

• Health Services Research
• Physiotherapy Referral Patterns
• Australian Healthcare System

Background:

• Physiotherapy is crucial for Australian public health.
• Understanding referral trends is vital for healthcare planning.
• Previous research has not fully explored long-term GP referral patterns.

Purpose of the Study:

• To analyze trends in general practitioner (GP) referrals to physiotherapy in Australia from 1998 to 2014.
• To identify patient demographics associated with higher referral rates.
• To investigate the impact of policy changes on referral practices.

Main Methods:

• Secondary analysis of the Bettering the Evaluation and Care of Health (BEACH) program data.
• Utilized weighted encounter data spanning from 1998-99 to 2014-15.
• Examined referral rates and patient characteristics.

Main Results:

• GP referrals to physiotherapy were steady until 2010, followed by an increase.
• Referrals were more common for patients with a Department of Veterans' Affairs card, without a Health Care Card, females aged 45-64, and males aged 25-44.
• Musculoskeletal issues comprised 80% of referrals, yet only 6.8% of all managed musculoskeletal problems led to a referral.

Conclusions:

• The introduction of allied health Medicare Benefits Schedule items has boosted physiotherapy referrals.
• Certain population segments who could benefit from physiotherapy are currently under-referred.
• Further research is needed to address referral disparities and optimize patient access to physiotherapy services.